


Dinner by the Fire

by Wewheresobeautiful



Series: Butterflies, Honey and other Mishappenings [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Developing Merlin/Arthur, Drunk Merlin, Finger Sucking, Fluff and Angst, Hand & Finger Kink, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-17
Updated: 2015-12-17
Packaged: 2018-05-07 06:29:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5446625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wewheresobeautiful/pseuds/Wewheresobeautiful
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Arthur's accidental voyeurism reveling to him Merlin's magic he begins to do anything to see Merlin use it again, even going so far as to follow his every move over the next month. Nothing really changes but what does is for the better, or so Arthur thinks.</p><p>Also there is wine and honey and drunk Merlin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dinner by the Fire

Things weren’t different really. Merlin brought him his breakfast, made his bed, cleaned his chambers, tended his horses like he had since his first day under Arthur's employment. The only thing that had changed was Arthur's constant watching, never taking his eyes off Merlin when he was in his sights doing some menial chore. He sat on his bed rather than his desk when Merlin filled his bath, only changing when Merlin assured him it was ready. He watched him stoke the fire from his arm chair, dinner on his lap rather than at his table. It soon became a tradition that the evening meal was taken on the rug in front of the fire, the platter put between them both as Merlin told Arthur about the gossip traveling around the kitchens from the serving maids. In some ways Arthur's constant vigilance brought them closer. Besides their shared dinner Arthur learnt how to wash, following Merlin out to the town square to observe him as he pummeled his smalls and shirts with a smooth river stone in the upper towns communal trough, where he had to go for the horses feed, behind the stables tucked in a dry corner behind the old apple crates and where to find the stall that Merlin brought his favorite seasonal apples, tucked away between the blacksmiths and leather workers. 

Merlin never slipped up though. Those months spend following and tracking his friends every move and not once did Arthur ever see those flaming gold eyes again. But it wasn’t all in vain; he gets to know his people, complement the sellers on the wears he uses every day, learn about the issues within the town as Merlin, maids and wives alike washed undergarments, going so far as to teach him how to best get grass stains out of trouser knees and blood from undergarments (how it got there Arthur had no idea and the women only chuckled and patted his arm affectingly when he asked). In the span of one month he had become a better king than ever before. The people where happy and the counsel pleased. Merlin even brought his favorite for their evening meal to celebrate, caper encrusted pheasant with full strength wine and baked carrots in honey. They sat and ate in front of the fire like every night before, Merlin sharing gossip and Arthur encouraging him. But tonight Merlin took the wine that was offered to him, rather than denying and drinking water like he had done ever since they had begun this tradition. 

Gaius was right, he discovered that very quickly, Merlin was a feather weight when it came to full strength wine. Arthur had been sipping on his goblet for nearly the whole dinner while Merlin had knocked his back in three long gulps, giggling as he picked at the bones of his pheasant, assembling them back up into the beasts’ full shape. Arthur quite enjoyed watching him, his face bright and innocent, eyes sparkling as he assembled the bird and begun to spread out its wings wide.

“He’s flying, look Arthur” Merlin slurred hitting Arthur’s knee as he pointed to his creation. Arthur chuckled, sipping the last few drops off his wine, a fuzzy content feeling overflowing him.

“How do you know it’s a he?” Arthur asked, placing his goblet on the soft fur rug, eating the rest of the honey carrots as Merlin rolled his eyes at him. 

“Because it just is cabbage head” Merlin stuck his tongue out startling a laugh from Arthur who bent in half at Merlin’s pouty look. 

“Cabbage head…that’s a new one. Been waiting to use that one have you?” with a smirk Arthur took the last baked carrot, watching Merlin’s pout turn full pleading as Arthur finished it off, licking his lips with a mocking moan of content. 

“I wanted that one” Merlin whined, looking at the empty plate then back up at Arthur's smiling face. 

“you snooze you lose Merlin; surly you would have learnt that by now-Ah!” Arthur cried out, eyes wide and mouth agape as Merlin took his wrist and drew his hand towards him only to suck on his honey covered fingers, eyes wide as he hummed and moaned at the taste, looking at Arthur directly as the fire reflected in his eyes. Arthur was too shocked to respond, one arm behind him kept him upright whilst his other arm was limp, completely at Merlin’s command as his warm mouth engulfed two fingers at a time, tongue moving and parting them to wrap around the long digits like a soft cushion. A shiver run down his spine causing the hairs on the back of his neck and forearms to stand erect, mouth dry and gaping open and shut like a dying fish. Slowly Merlin released his digits with a pop, lips stretched in a content smile as he kept hold of Arthur's hand, turning it in two of his own, long slender fingers running over the rough callouses of his fingertips and the soft creases of his palm.

“Gaius has books from the old religion teaching how to tell a person’s fortune from the lines of their palms. He just uses it now of the diagrams of the hands pressure points and veins. It’s quite a good read” His voice startles Arthur out of his daze, looking up at Merlin’s soft face as he studies Arthur's hand, rubbing his thumbs over each side of his open palm, soothing it in a surreal way. 

“Could you tell mine? My future I mean” Arthur's voice is ragged, like he’s just awoken and he has to clear his throat before and after to make it feel like his own again. The fire reflects in Merlin’s eyes, the flames lively flickering and swaying mirrored in the bright blue of his irises, Merlin’s face crumbles, the serine happiness it held before transforming into a look of desperate sadness and grief. Tears well in his eyes, the fire flickering almost manically in them before Merlin suddenly drops his hand, letting it destroy Merlin’s carefully constructed flying pheasant as he stands up quickly, gathering his boots and bowing.

“I’ve stayed too long your majesty, I bid you goodnight. I shall be here bright and early with your morning meal” still wiping at his cheeks and eyes Merlin rushed out, closing the door behind him and leaving Arthur shocked and still in front of the slowly dying fire. Taking in a deep breath he looks down at his hand, palm down amongst the bones and lifts it, cringing as a few small ribs and hollow wings bones stuck to his fingers. Slowly he peeled them all off, carefully placing them all back in their correct positions, looking down at the bird in flight next to his pile of teeth marked and broken bones. Rubbing his hands over his face with a groan he picks up the platter, placing it on his desk before pulling off his tunic and socks, burying himself under his goose feather bead spread and cotton sheets, gripping a pillow tight to his chest as he stared at the ever dying fire, eyes closing as it flickers out, sending him into a deep thoughtless sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr can be found here http://wewheresobeautiful.tumblr.com/
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this continuation, I can't promise I will Finnish this series but I aspire to and it's very fun and easy to write so the odds are ever in your favor!
> 
> Thank you all for your support


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